


A Timeline Out of Order

by hamifihekrix



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Gore, It Got Gay, M/M, Murder, Sadstuck, Vampire :), clown gets beaten up, clownsogyny, equius x terezi is a pale ship i stg, f/m is only for meowrails, i swear it'll get gay later, its gotten to the point where i don't know who's a ship and who isn't, oppressed clown, please tell me if anything needs to be tagged, please tell me if i should tag more ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2020-06-09 22:08:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19485004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hamifihekrix/pseuds/hamifihekrix
Summary: Equius is looking for the highblood Gamzee Makara when he discovers the body of his moirail.An AU where Nepeta died first.





	1. One

CG: BUT SERIOUSLY, IF YOU COULD CARRY OUT MY ORDERS IN THE LEAST PERVERSE WAY POSSIBLE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.  
CG: JUST KILL ONE OR MORE OF THOSE ASSHOLES AND GET BACK TO ME, OK?  
CG: I NEED YOU TO COME THROUGH FOR ME, BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF MANPOWER HERE.  
CT: D --> We are  
CG: YES DIDN'T I MENTION? FEFERI, KANAYA AND TAVROS ARE DEAD, SOLLUX IS UNCONSCIOUS, AND TEREZI IS MISSING.  
CG: OH GOD, I HOPE SHE'S OK, I SHOULD PROBABLY GO LOOK FOR HER   
CT: D --> Oh shoot  
CT: D --> E%cuse my vulgarity  
CG: I'LL LET IT SLIDE.  
CG: JUST DO WHAT I SAY, OK.  
CT: D --> I will 100k into it

Your name is Equius Zahhak.

You and your friends have been living on this meteor for a few months now, and it has been the most boring thing you have ever experienced in your short life so far.

Well, until now. The euphoria of being ordered around by a lowb100d is still running through your strong, strong veins.

For you have been given a task. Or, at least in your mind, an order.

You have been ordered to find the highb100d Gamzee Makara, and try to peacefully negotiate with him. If that does not go to plan, you will be forced to go to extreme, violent matters. At least, you hope you'll have the capability to force yourself to harm someone of such a noble place above you.

But there's something you need to do first, something that ranks in importance more than anything else. And that thing is making sure your moirail is, without a single doubt, safe.

EQUIUS: D --> Nepeta, I think it would behoove us to address the e%treme danger in a serious manner  
NEPETA: :33 < you mean about gamz33? h33h33!  
NEPETA: :33 < im still not sure if i can believe it!  
EQUIUS: D --> That’s because you still refuse to 100k upon our b100dlines as the deciding behooviroal factors they are  
NEPETA: :33 < behoovioral? :??  
EQUIUS: D --> Behavioral  
EQUIUS: D --> Sorry, my heart is galloping and I canter nunciate properly  
EQUIUS: D --> The horst case scenario is upon us  
NEPETA: :33 < *snort* X33  
EQUIUS: D --> His is the richest and most novle b100d possible among the high land dwellers  
EQUIUS: D --> As such, he is prone to being more violent and unpredictable than any of us  
EQUIUS: D --> Not everyone has been as lucky as I in the domain of moirallegiance  
EQUIUS: D --> I udder to think what I might be without you, Nepeta  
NEPETA: :33 < udder?  
EQUIUS: D --> Shudder  
NEPETA: :33 < oh! thats so sw33t equius, you know i will always be ready to tacklepounce you when you start getting especially furrious :33  
EQUIUS: D --> Yes, which is among the reasons why I must make your prote%ion a high priority  
EQUIUS: D --> The highb100d has joined a stable of those who are becoming increasingly volatile and murderous as we remain stranded in this laboratory  
EQUIUS: D --> I command you to steer clear of them, do you understand  
NEPETA: :33 < h33, did you mean st33r in the livestock sense?  
EQUIUS: D --> Yes  
NEPETA: :33 < oh youre being silly equius!! you must be pulling my tail X33  
NEPETA: :33 < these are our friends, and im really cute!! no one would ever be able to harm this purrety kittys face and be able to live with it!!  
EQUIUS: D -- > Nepeta, while I do also believe that you are cute and purrety. I mean, pretty.  
EQUIUS: D -- > I commanded you to hide, and as my moirail, you really should obey me  
NEPETA: :33 < wow, you really are being silly today!!  
NEPETA: :33 < oh i know!!  
NEPETA: :33 < how about we play a game of cat and mouse to lighten the mood??  
NEPETA: :33 < ill even let you be the kitty this time!! :33  
EQUIUS: D -- > Nepeta, no, I demand you come back here right now  
NEPETA: :33 < 5 4 3 2 1 go!!  
EQUIUS: D -- > I said come back here right now

As you watch your moirail run off down one of the halls of the meteor, you feel a twinge in your stomach. The feeling that something bad is going to happen fills your veins.

But you disregard the feeling, and chase after your feline-like moirail before she can get into any trouble.

Despite how incredibly strong your legs are, you can't seem to catch up to her. Her precise movements seem to be more agile than your sprint.

Soon, you are lost in absolute darkness. There aren't any nearby lights, and you don't have anything on you that could cause a fire, or anything else which could bring you light.

You tread on, determined to find your dear, sweet Nepeta.

After minutes of treading. Treadening? Walking.  
After minutes of walking, you think you start to see a light up ahead. Yes, yes you can! You begin sprinting again, hoping to just find your moirail hiding in a place even she knows she'll be discovered in.

Instead, you find something much, much more disturbing. Sticky. Green.

You walk into this section of the meteor to find something more horrific than anything you've ever seen. More horrific than any of the robots you've built for the purpose of self-indulgence, more horrific than imagining yourself dead.

In front of you, you see the body of your moirail, bludgeoned from countless blows. You don't even know if you can call it a body anymore.

Rage fills your eyes, fills your heart. Fills your soul.

All of a sudden, a looming figure that you hadn't noticed pounces, no... too soon, jumps towards you. Though it takes a considerable amount of effort, you block the swing of the figures juggling clubs.

The moment you see their weapon of choice, you instantly recognize who it is. Gamzee Makara. The highb100d.

He did this. He killed her, when she considered him to be a harmless friend.

You've never felt more angry.

Your rage causes you to flip out at the clown. Your unrelenting fist flies him into the nearby wall. And by that, you mean THROUGH the nearby wall. And the one after that one. It's pretty impressive actually, those were pretty thick walls.

With one singular leap, you crash into his repulsive body, causing a very loud crashing sound. The others probably heard that. You don't really care much. They'd probably enjoy you beating this clown senseless, to be honest.

Your fist keep blowing into his skin, and eventually, you begin to tear the skin. But the clown doesn't seem to die. The clown won't stay down, which infuriates you more.

After hours of pummeling, your rage is starting to wind down, just a little, to the point that you realize you cannot kill the clown, meaning you're going to have to tie him up. You grab a piece of the wall, which, luckily, happens to be made of metal, and bend it around the clown as many times as you can, making sure he can't breathe properly.

It's at this point someone decides to come down and check out that loud sound from earlier.

That person is Terezi Pyrope, curious as to what's happening, due to finding the bodies of her dead friends only a few hours earlier. Here, she finds a large amount of purple grubsauce. Though, based on what she found earlier, she assumes it probably isn't grubsauce.

**= > Be Terezi Pyrope**

You are now Terezi Pyrope.

You've never liked the flavour purple. It's always struck you as something you should stay away from, and maybe you were right.

Upon further nose-spection, you begin to smell the scent of grass mixed in with the overwhelming scent of purple grape. You think.. no, it couldn't be. Could the fiendish Thief have killed those two?

You don't want to believe it. And you don't have to for long, as you soon hear someone call out to you.

EQUIUS: D -- > Oh, Terezi. It's you  
TEREZI: 3QU1US?!? WH4T H4PP3N3D HERE >:??  
EQUIUS: D -- > The highb100d  
EQUIUS: D -- > Gamzee  
EQUIUS: D -- > He killed Nepeta  
EQUIUS: D -- > Poor, sweet Nepeta  
EQUIUS: D -- > So I tried to beat him to death with my bare fists  
EQUIUS: D -- > As I do not have a usable bow and arrow with me here  
EQUIUS: D -- > But his superior blood still reigns above mine  
EQUIUS: D -- > I couldn't kill him  
EQUIUS: D -- > I couldn't kill the subjugglator that killed my Nepeta  
EQUIUS: D -- > No matter how many times my fists connected with his skin, no matter how many times I bruised his skin  
EQUIUS: D -- > He just would not die  
EQUIUS: D -- > After I released as much rage as I needed to into killing him, and failing, I tied him up just over there  
TEREZI: W41T SO N3P3T4S DEAD??  
EQUIUS: D -- > ...  
EQUIUS: D -- > Yes  
TEREZI: >:[  
TEREZI: BUT 4R3 YOU OK4Y??...  
EQUIUS: D -- > The answer to that question depends on whether you mean physically or mentally  
EQUIUS: D -- > Physically I am fine  
EQUIUS: D -- > But emotionally I don't know  
EQUIUS: D -- > I've  
EQUIUS: D -- > I've never felt pain like this before  


You consider giving the big guy a hug, as he looks, and sounds, like he really needs it. But even you aren't going to let yourself come into that much contact with that much sweat.  
You rub his back a little, assuming that you won't get any sweat on your hand. You pull your hand back with a disappointed look on your face.


	2. Two

Even though you doubt he needs it, you let Equius use you to keep himself upright while walking. You need to get him to the others, and help him explain the situation that he managed to land himself in.  
But, you think you need to ask him some more questions about what happened so that you're better able to understand. It doesn't look like he's ready to spend a lot of time talking in front of so many other people.

TEREZI: SO  
TEREZI: WH4T 3X4CTLY H4PP3N3D 4G41N??  
EQUIUS: D -- > Why are you asking me a question you already asked me earlier  
TEREZI: 1 N33D TO KNOW WH4T H4PP3N3D  
EQUIUS: D -- > Why  
TEREZI: JUST SHUT UP 4ND T3LL M3  
EQUIUS: D -- > No  
TEREZI: WHY NOT >:[  
EQUIUS: D -- > Because I don't want to  
TEREZI: BUT 1T'S 1MPORT4NT  
EQUIUS: D -- > I don't have to listen to you  
TEREZI: BUT 1'M 4SK1NG YOU R34LLY N1C3LY  
EQUIUS: D -- > Your definition of nice must be quite broad   
TEREZI: H3H3H3, TH4T W4S 4CTU4LLY PR4TTY GOOD  
EQUIUS: D -- > What  
TEREZI: OK4Y, OK4Y. F1N3  
TEREZI: TH3N...  
TEREZI: HOW DO YOU TH1NK TH3 OTH3RS 4R3 GO1NG TO R34CT TO "H1M" >:?  
EQUIUS: D -- > I don't know  
TEREZI: >:??  
EQUIUS: D -- > I was never as close to some of our friends as I would have liked  
TEREZI: OH  
TEREZI: TH4T'S  
TEREZI: HUH  
EQUIUS: D -- > ...  
TEREZI:...  
EQUIUS: D -- > .....  
TEREZI: .....  
EQUIUS: D -- > .......  
TEREZI: .......  
TEREZI: SO  
EQUIUS: D -- > I think that, since I answered your question, you should answer a question of mine  
TEREZI: 3RR... SUR3??  
TEREZI: UNL3SS 1TS SOM3TH1NG W31RD  
EQUIUS: D -- > Why were you the only one to come investigate the sounds you heard  
TEREZI: OH, TH4T'S 4LL?  
TEREZI: 1'M PROB4BLY TH3 ONLY ON3 WHO H34RD YOU  
TEREZI: WH4T W1TH ALL TH3 MURD3R1NG 4ND P4N1CK1NG  
EQUIUS: D -- > Oh  
EQUIUS: D -- > Would you happen to know the mortality % of our friends  
TEREZI: 1 M34N...  
TEREZI: 1 C4N T3LL YOU A COUPL3 OF P3OPL3 TH4T I KNOW AR3 D34D  
TEREZI: BUT OTH3R TH4N TH4T  
TEREZI: 1 GU3SS W3'LL F1ND OUT  
TEREZI: YOU W4NN4 KNOW SOM3TH1NG FUNNY, THOUGH?  
EQUIUS: D -- > I don't think it's the right time for th-  
TEREZI: I W4S COMPL3T3LY CONV1NCED TH4T 1T W4S VR1SK4  
TEREZI: 1'D M4N4G3D TO CONV1NC3 MYS3LF TH4T EV3RY SM4LL L1TTL3 TH1NG W4S EV1D3NC3 4G41NST H3R OR SOM3TH1NG  
TEREZI: 1TS STUP1D 1 KNOW  
TEREZI: 1 JUST... F3LT L1K3 1 H4D NO CHO1C3 BUT CONT1NU3 TH1S R1V4LRY W1TH H3R  
EQUIUS: D -- > So we both believed in fake, inescapable realities  
EQUIUS: D -- > Realities a lot more escapable than we originally thought  
TEREZI: W41T W41T W41T D1D YOU JUST-  
EQUIUS: D -- > I think it's best we cease this discussion  
EQUIUS: D -- > There's some kind of light up there  


Equius is right. Up ahead you can see a dimly lit, though still more lit than where you are, area. You think that there is a good chance that there will be at least one people over there, so the two of you continue walking, fastening your pace slightly.

Upon getting closer to the source of light, you recognize the outline of two figures. You also think you can hear a faint honking noise coming from nearby, but you aren't entirely sure about that.  
What you do know, though, is that you can hear the two figures talking.

VRISKA: You don't know what you're doing, Eridan.  
VRISKA: Stop while you still can.  
VRISKA: For me?  
ERIDAN: i dont wwanna do this vvris  
ERIDAN: i didnt wanna do any of this  
ERIDAN: but if you come any closer to me im not afraid to fight back in self defence  
VRISKA: I can't just have you running around, shooting people with your wand!!!!!!!!  
VRISKA: Just put your wand on the ground there, and we'll 8oth 8e a8le to go a8out this in a calm and orderly manner.  
ERIDAN: i already had all my friends  
ERIDAN: all of the people i trusted  
ERIDAN: turn on me in the past day  
ERIDAN: youre stupid to expect me to trust anyone especially you right noww  
VRISKA: 8ut Eridan........ You 8rought this upon yourself.  
VRISKA: You're the one who killed these trolls. These poor, innocent trolls. Don't try to just skip past something so serious like that.  
ERIDAN: if youre tryin to use your mind tricks to make me surrender to you its not gonna work  
ERIDAN: just let me grieve in fuckin peace for cods sake  
VRISKA: I just explained why I can't do that, Eridan. I didn't want it to come to this, trust me, I truly didn't, 8ut I'm going to have to eliminate you, if you catch what I'm saying.  
ERIDAN: vvris i care about you i really do  
ERIDAN: i dont wwant to hurt you  
ERIDAN: but i wwill if i must  
VRISKA: I'm sorry, Eridan. I really am. But sometimes the dice have to 8e thrown whether I like it or not.  
ERIDAN: then wwed better get this ovver wwit-  
TEREZI: 1'M T3RR1BLY SORRY TO INT3RRUPT YOUR 3P1C F1GHT OR WH4T3V3R  
TEREZI: BUT TH3R3'S SOM3TH1NG INF1N1T3LY MOR3 1MPORT4NT TH4T W3 SHOULD B3 FOCUS1NG ON  
VRISKA: Terezi?!  
VRISKA: EQU8US?!?!?!?!  
VRISKA: Wh8t the F8CK are you tw8 doing her8?!?!?!?!?  
TEREZI: 1F YOU WOULD SHUT YOUR SK4NK MOUTH, 1'D B3 4BL3 TO T3LL YOU  
VRISKA: Alright, fine.  
VRISKA: Eridan, it looks like these two are stopping us from fighting, at least for now.  
VRISKA: (Just 8etween you and me, Equius scares me a lot. I don't want to 8e on his 8ad side ::::( )  
ERIDAN: ...  
TEREZI: B4S1C4LLY, 3Q1U1S OV3R H3R3 GOT 1NTO A BIT OF A F1GHT W1TH OUR LOC4L SUBJUGGL4TOR  
TEREZI: 4FT3R EQU1US W4S 3SP3C1ALLY 4NG3R3D BY G4MZ33, 3QU1US 4BSOLUT3LY DEMOL1SH3D G4MZ33'S BODY  
VRISKA: So what's the pro8lem then????????  
TEREZI: SHUT UP, 1'M G3TT1NG TO TH4T   
TEREZI: SOM3TH1NG TH4T W3'V3 FOUND OUT 1S TH4T 1T 1S 1MPOSS1BL3 TO KILL TH3 CLOWN  
TEREZI: MOR3 SP3C1F1C4LLY, YOU CAN'T K33P DOWN TH3 CLOWN  
TEREZI: TRUST M3  
TEREZI: W3 TR13D  
VRISKA: That's interesting. Real interesting.  
VRISKA: One more question, though.  
TEREZI: 4ND... WH4T M1GHT TH4T B3?  
VRISKA: Why the hell is Equius so quiet?  
VRISKA: Normally he would have interjected with a weird horse quip or with the fact that he needed a towel 8y now.  
TEREZI: TH4T...  
TEREZI: TH4T'S TH3 WORST P4RT  
VRISKA: What do you mean, "the worst part"........  
TEREZI: W3LL YOU S33  
TEREZI: TH3 R34SON 3QU1US B3C4M3 SO 4NGRY 4T G4MZ33 W4S B3C4US3  
TEREZI: W3LL YOU S33  
TEREZI: G4MZ33 K1LL3D N3P3T4  
VRISKA: That's it?  
VRISKA: That's seriously all it takes to turn this oaf into a 8lu88ering mess????????  
ERIDAN: (heh... blubber)  
VRISKA: (shut up, fish)  
ERIDAN: (least im not a landwweller)  
EQUIUS: D -- > Did you even know Nepeta  
EQUIUS: D -- > Were you close to her  
VRISKA: Well, no, 8ut-  
EQUIUS: D -- > She was the sweetest, warmhearted troll I've ever met  
EQUIUS: D -- > She also brightened the room whenever she entered  
EQUIUS: D -- > She wanted to roleplay with you two and the others, but I wouldn't let her  
VRISKA: Well, sure, that sucks and shit. 8ut we have more important things to focus-  
EQUIUS: D -- > I was beggining to doubt that what I made her do was right  
EQUIUS: D -- > But now I'm glad I kept her away from you  
VRISKA: Those are pretty 8old words for someone who, I'm sure, is just jealous of us who don't need another person to keep them mentally stable.  
EQUIUS: D -- > Take that back  
ERIDAN: vvris im wwith eq here  
VRISKA: WH8T?!?!?!?!  
VRISKA: PLEASE do not tell me you just said you agreed with him!!!!!!!!!  
ERIDAN: i agree wwith him evven if he does smell really bad  
ERIDAN: nepeta was one of my dear friends  
ERIDAN: she nevver stabbed me in the back like the other people i trusted  
ERIDAN: she nevver treated me like anythin other than an equal  
ERIDAN: evven wwhen that wwas howw i treated her  
VRISKA: What, are you trying to say that you don't hate landwellers anymore????????  
ERIDAN: no thats not wwhat im sayin at all you vvile termagant  
ERIDAN: im sayin i nevver hated landwwellers  
VRISKA: I must 8e dreaming.  
ERIDAN: wwhat do you expect me to do wwhen i greww up in a society of people expectin me to hate those in a lowwer societal place than me  
VRISKA: Hey, I grew up in the same society, and I turned out fine.  
ERIDAN: are you sure about that  
TEREZI: 4R3 YOU SUR3 4BOUT TH4T  
EQUIUS: D -- > Are you sure about that  
VRISKA: >::::(  
VRISKA: What makes you guys say that????????  
ERIDAN: more like wwhat doesnt make us say that  
ERIDAN: at least wwed be able to answwer that in a short period of time  
VRISKA: Oh fuck you!!!!!!!!  
ERIDAN: oh NOW you say that real fuckin convvenient if you ask me  


You watch their bickering go back and forth for a while, while getting the feeling that you're being watched from the shadows, which isn't as unlikely as you'd hope. You double check Gamzee's position as "near your feet", and find him still tied up. You still can't help but worry, though.


	3. Three

Feeling like you're being watched, you decide to sniff around. You can never be too careful.  
You feel like you can smell grubsauce, but not the kind of any of the people around you. You can smell a pink, and a gold.  
You think back to the friends you know are dead, and feel tingles go up the back of your spine. You have no idea what this means.

TEREZI: H3Y UH  
VRISKA: What is it now????????  
VRISKA: Can't you see we're 8USY talking a8out IMP8RTANT ISSUES?!?!?!?!  
TEREZI: SOM3TH1NG'S UP  
TEREZI: SOM3TH1NG'S... F1SHY  
ERIDAN: i-  
TEREZI: SHUT TH3 FUCK UP 3R1D4N 1'M NOT T4LK1NG 4BOUT YOU  
TEREZI: SOM3ON3'S W4TCH1NG US  
VRISKA: Holy shit ::::0  
VRISKA: 8ut I thought everyone else on this meteor was fucking DEAD????????  
TEREZI: >:[  
TEREZI: 1 TH1NK TH3R3'S SOM3TH1NG... SOM3ON3??  
TEREZI: 1 TH1NK TH3R3'S SOM3ON3 C1RCL1NG 4ROUND US  
VRISKA: What's the pro8a8ility that you're just imagining things?  
TEREZI: I DON'T KNOW WHO OR WH4T TH3Y 4R3 BUT TH3R3'S D3F1N1T3LY SOM3TH1NG TH3R3  
VRISKA: Hmmmmmmmm...  
ERIDAN: HELLO  
ERIDAN: HELLOOOOOO  
ERIDAN: IS ANYONE FUCKIN THERE  
TEREZI: 3R1D4N WH4T TH3 FUCK 4R3 YOU DO1NG?? >:?  
ERIDAN: im callin out to wwho evver might be wwatchin us  
TEREZI: BUT... WHY????  
ERIDAN: i dont fuckin knoww ter i just felt like it  
TEREZI: R34LLY  
TEREZI: FUCK1NG... R34LLY??  
ERIDAN: no ter im tryin to help  
ERIDAN: but i guess thats gone pretty chickenshit evvery other time i try to help  
TEREZI: NOWS NOT TH3 T1M3 FOR P1TY1NG, 3R1D4N. PL34S3 SHUT UP.  
ERIDAN: but i wwasn-  
TEREZI: W3 N33D TO F1GUR3 OUT WHO TH1S P3RSON 1S 4ND WH4T TH3Y W4NT  
TEREZI: 3QU1US??  
EQUIUS: D -- > Yes  
TEREZI: 4R3 YOU CONF1D3NT TH4T YOU CAN PROT3CT US 4LL 1F TH3 S1TU4T1ON 4R1S3S??  
EQUIUS: D -- > No  
TEREZI: OK GR34T  
TEREZI: W41T WH4T  
EQUIUS: D -- > I let precious Nepeta die such a horrible death  
EQUIUS: D -- > How can I protect anyone if not the one I love most  
TEREZI: BUDDY, LOOK  
TEREZI: W3 4LL M4K3 M1ST4K3S  
TEREZI: H3R D34TH W4SN'T YOUR F4ULT. DON'T B34T YOURS3LF UP OV3R 1T. G3TT1NG 4LL S4D L1K3 TH1S 1SN'T GO1NG TO BR1NG H3R B4CK  
TEREZI: SH3 WOULDN'T W4NT TO S33 YOU L1K3 TH1S. SH3 WOULD W4NT YOU TO ST4Y STRONG  
TEREZI: FOR H3R  
EQUIUS: D -- > Maybe you're right  
TEREZI: 1 WOULD S4Y 4 LOT MOR3 TH4N M4YB3  
TEREZI: BUT WH4T3V3R TH4T'S NOT 1MPORT4NT  
TEREZI: 1'M JUST 4SK1NG 1F YOU COULD TRY YOUR B3ST TO PROT3CT US 4LL  
TEREZI: (3xc3pt m4yb3 vr1sk4)  
TEREZI: 1'M NOT 4SK1NG B3C4US3 1 TH1NK YOU C4N DO 1T  
TEREZI: 1'M 4SK1NG B3C4US3 1 KNOW YOU CAN  
TEREZI: C4N YOU DO TH4T FOR M3  
EQUIUS: D -- > I can at least try  
TEREZI: NOW TH4T'S MY ST1NKY HORS3 M4N!!  
EQUIUS: D -- > I  
EQUIUS: D -- > What  
TEREZI: WHO C4R3S  
TEREZI: L3T'S K1LL TH3 HO3  
EQUIUS: D -- > Yes, let us  
VRISKA: Are you two done having your little chitty-chat? Us big kids have been talking a8out what we're going to do, and we felt like you should 8e clued in too.  
VRISKA: Just so you don't fuck it all up, of course.  
ERIDAN: wwait big kid-?  
TEREZI: Y3S, W3'R3 DON3. TH3R3'S NOW SOM3ON3 WHO'S W1LL1NG TO TRY TO H3LP US TO NOT JO1N OUR D34D FR1ENDS  
TEREZI: YOU'R3 W3LCOM3  
EQUIUS: D -- > I'm right here  
TEREZI: I KNOW  
TEREZI: SO TH3N... W3'R3 4LL R34DY?  
VRISKA: YES!!!!!!!!  
VRISKA: Let's get on with it already!  
TEREZI: SH33SH, OK4Y  
TEREZI: WHO3V3R'S OUT TH3R3, COM3 OUT OR W3'LL B3 FORC3D TO COM3 4ND F1ND YOU!!  
TEREZI: IF YOU COM3 OUT NOW W3 WON'T HURT YOU!!  
TEREZI: FOUR 4G41NST ON3 4R3N'T GOOD ODDS 1S 4LL 1'M S4Y1NG!!  
VRISKA: Come oooooooon!  
VRISKA: We have cookies!!!!!!!!  
EQUIUS: D -- > But we don't have any such item of disgusting confection  
VRISKA: (Of course we don't 8ut they don't know that!!!!!!!! Dum8ass.)  
KANAYA: You Know I Can Hear You Right  
KANAYA: And Could Hear Everything You Were Saying Earlier  
ERIDAN: kan  
ERIDAN: kan is that you  
KANAYA: Yes It Is I  
KANAYA: The Same I Who Is Oh So Very Close To Inflicting Some Kind Of Harm On You  
KANAYA: I Probably Wouldnt Hold Myself Back If It Wasnt For How Pitiful I Heard You Acting  
KANAYA: And He Scares Me  
KANAYA: But Its Mostly How Pitiful You Are  


In this surprise turn of events that absolutely NO ONE saw coming, your heads starts spinning. But, at least you don't have to worry about an imminent death now. All you have to worry about now is Karkat. Though, you'd be very lucky if he isn't dead yet. For someone who talks so big, he really doesn't know what he's doing, at all, ever. You just want him to be ok.


	4. Four

**= > Be Karkat Vantas**

Your name is KARKAT VANTAS and you are scared out of your fucking mind.  
You just watched someone you considered a close friend kill off some of your other close friends, and you're currently trying your best to hide while also trying to catch your breath.  
You're also carrying around the dead? body of your friend, who was killed by the aforementioned close friend. You carry the dead body of your friend SOLLUX CAPTOR, who you kind of doubt is actually dead.  
You lay his body next to you before sitting on the floor and sending out a message.  


\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling  gallowsCalibrator [GC] \--  
  
CG: HEY TEREZI.  
CG: I KNOW YOU CAN'T RESPOND RIGHT NOW  
CG: BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T RESPONDED TO MY EXHAUSTING AMOUNT OF MESSAGES. DUH.  
CG: BUT I WANTED TO MAKE IT FUCKING CLEAR JUST HOW MUCH I'D APPRECIATE YOU MESSAGING ME BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  
CG: MY THINKPAN IS TREMBLING FROM JUST HOW LITTLE CONTACT I'M RECEIVING FROM ANYONE.  
CG: OH RIGHT. HA. I FORGOT TO MENTION  
CG: I HAVE SOLLUX HERE.  
CG: I KNOW MOST OF YOU AREN'T SUPER CLOSE TO HIM  
CG: BUT HE'S ONE OF MY BEST FUCKING FRIENDS  
CG: PRETTY FUCKING POINTLESS OF ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS HERE TO YOU OF ALL PEOPLE.  
CG: I GUESS I'M JUST A BIT GODDAMN DELIRIOUS RIGHT NOW.  
CG: I'M SURE IF YOU WERE HERE YOU'D LAUGH AT ME AND TELL ME THAT I'M SH4K3N UP 4BOUT NOTH1NG OR SOMETHING.  
CG: HONESTLY I COULD PROBABLY USE THAT RIGHT NOW.  
CG: I THINK I NEED THAT ACTUALLY.  
CG: BUT  
CG: ANYWAY  
CG: I SHOULD PROBABLY GO.  
CG: HOPEFULLY I'LL FIND YOU ALL SOMETIME SOON.  
  
\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC] \--  


As tears flow out of your glance nuggets, your arm flops down to your side, letting your palmhusk drop from your hand and slide across the floor.  
You hold your head in your hands. The tears have stopped at this point, but you're still shaking pretty hard. If this were a contest, you would most definitely have won the prize for shakiest motherfucker.  
You try to shake Sollux awake but fail spectacularly. You don't even have the time to make a self-deprecating joke.  
You pick your palmhusk back up, and try messaging some of your human "friends". 

\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling  gardenGnostic [GG] \--  
  
CG: HEY HUMAN.  
CG: ARE YOU THERE?  
CG: I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING TO YOU.  
CG: I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S PRETTY FUCKING IMPORTANT  
CG: IF I WERE TO RANK IT ON A LIST OF IMPORTANT THINGS I WOULD SAY THAT ITS PRETTY FUCKING HIGH UP  
CG: IT'D BE REAL FUCKING FANTASTIC IF YOU COULD DIFFER FROM EVERYONE ELSE AND ACTUALLY RESPOND.  
CG: GOD. THAT FELT SO AGGRESSIVE I'M SO FUCKING SORRY.  
CG: YOU'VE PROBABLY FIGURED IT OUT BY NOW THAT I JUST FUCK EVERYTHING UP.  
CG: IT'S JUST  
CG: MY THING.  
CG: I YELL AND YELL AND YELL AND THEN COMPLAIN WHEN THINGS GO BAD OR WHEN PEOPLE HATE ME  
CG: AND THEN  
CG: WHEN THAT DOES INEVITIBLY HAPPEN  
CG: I DO IT MORE AND CONTINUE THE CYCLE.  
CG: BECAUSE I'M A DUMB STUPID WIGGLER WITHOUT A SHRED OF ANYTHING IN MY THINKPAN.  
CG: IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE PATTERN OF BEING TOO BUSY TO RESPOND SO I GUESS I'LL JUST  
CG: FUCK OFF.  
CG: BUT UH  
CG: I DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO ME SOON  
CG: SO UH  
CG: IF YOU'RE READING THIS I'M SORRY.  
CG: BYE, JADE.  
  
\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling gardenGnostic [GG] \--  
  


Well. That's your first choice down, then. Your next person to talk to is the John Human. He's the only other one you've talked to, so you think it makes sense. But, what would you know anyway? 

\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling ectoBiologist [EB] \--  
CG: JOHN HUMAN.  
CG: RESPOND IMMEDIATELY OR EXPECT YOUR IMPENDING DOOM.  
CG: OR SOMETHING  
CG: PLEASE?  
CG: SIGH  
CG: I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY I'M STILL TRYING.  
CG: MAYBE I SHOULD JUST GO LOOK FOR ERIDAN AND GAMZEE AND JUST  
CG: SEE WHAT HAPPENS.  
CG: SURELY THAT'D BE BETTER THAN JUST SITTING HERE  
CG: WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING. SERIOUSLY.  
CG: UGH  
  
\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling ectoBiologist [EB] \--  


The tears are back. Clouding up your vision, and flowing down your face, you have to take a second to let them stop. In this metaphorical second, your brain entertains thoughts you would rather it didn't.  
When you're able to see properly again, you decide sending messages off to someone that you've never even met before is, in fact, a good idea.

\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling tentacleTherapist [TT] \--  
CG: HUMAN  
CG: RESPOND  
CG: PLEASE  
TT: What is it?  
TT: Based on your use of the word human, I can assume you're one of the trolls.  
CG: OH THERE IS A GOG!  
CG: YOU ACTUALLY RESPONDED!!  
TT: Of course I did. I'm very rarely too busy to respond to a group of strangers across the internet.  
TT: That being said, I am currently occupied.  
TT: So, unless you have something important to say, I'm going to have to leave you here.  
CG: NO  
CG: NO NO NO  
CG: PLEASE DON'T LEAVE  
TT: Hmm?  
CG: I NEED TO TALK TO *SOMEONE* BUT YOU'RE THE FIRST OF MANY TO ACTUALLY RESPOND  
CG: I REALLY NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE NOW TOO  
CG: I'VE HEARD SOME THING FROM KANAYA THAT LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT YOU'D BE GOOD TO TALK TO RIGHT NOW.  
TT: Kanaya, huh?  
TT: I need to talk to her more.  
TT: Like I said, I am busy right now. I believe Dave would be your best choice for someone to talk to, what with his time shenanigans.  
TT: I doubt it matters when you message him. If it's important, he'll be able to message you back nigh instantaneously.  
CG: ALRIGHT BUT  
CG: I'LL BE COMING FOR YOU IF HE DOESN'T.  
TT: That sounds fun. I'll probably be dead after this "mission", though, so good luck.  
  
\-- tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering carcinoGeneticist [CG] \--  
  
\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling turntechGodhead [TG] \--  
CG: HEY  
CG: YOU'RE THE DAVE HUMAN RIGHT  
TG: yo  
TG: are you like  
TG: one of those trolls or whatever the fuck  
CG: YES  
CG: BUT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW SO SHUT THE FUCK UP  
TG: what do you mean thats not important  
TG: the status of your species alignment is very important to me i wouldnt want to trip up and say the wrong thing  
TG: plus ive heard from john that youre like  
TG: the angry one right  
TG: actually wait we talked that one time right  
TG: you me and john  
TG: what was that memo called again  
TG: something with fruity assholes  
TG: oh assfruit warehouse  
TG: wait no  
TG: damn memory why are you failing on me  
TG: oh right it was the fruity rumpus asshole factory  
TG: how the fuck could i forget something as memorable as that  
CG: DUDE  
CG: I ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SO I'D REALLY LIKE IT IF YOU COULD SHUT UP FOR A SECOND.  
CG: THE ROSE HUMAN GUIDED MY HERE WHEN I TALKED TO HER MOMENTS AGO.  
TG: damn ok whats so important then  
CG: DID YOU UH. EVER TALK TO ERIDAN  
TG: who  
CG: THE WIZARD GUY  
TG: nope  
CG: THE ROSE HUMAN BLEW UP HIS COMPUTER THROUGH HER MAJYKS.  
TG: oh i mightve heard something about that  
TG: so whats so important about him  
CG: IT'D PROBABLY BE BETTER IF I USED AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE YOU'VE ACTUALLY TALKED TO AND KNOW.  
CG: DID YOU EVER TALK TO GAMZEE??  
CG: THE CLOWN DUDE  
TG: oh yeah i remember him  
TG: that guy was fucking histerical never will i meet someone who rivals his comedic genius  
TG: he came to me spitting out bullshit about clowns or some shit and i thought itd be funny to send him one of icps videos  
TG: fucking despressing that i never heard from him again  
CG: OH GOG  
CG: OH MY GOG  
CG: IT'S YOUR FAULT  
TG: wait what  
TG: did i do something  
CG: YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CAUSED GAMZEE TO GO BATSHIT FUCKING CRAZY AND PROBABLY KILL MULTIPLE OF MY FRIENDS SOON.  
TG: oh damn  
TG: thats  
TG: not good huh  
CG: YOU COULD SAY THAT YEAH  
CG: DEAD FRIENDS DO NOT SOUND GOOD YOU'RE CORRECT  
CG: I'M SO SCARED I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO  
CG: I HAVE THE BODY OF MY BEST FRIEND LYING RIGHT HERE NEXT TO ME AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HE'S ALIVE OR NOT  
CG: AND NONE OF MY FRIENDS ARE RESPONDING TO MY MESSAGES SO I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY'RE EVEN ALIVE  
TG: wait is terezi ok  
CG: I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!!!!!  
CG: I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW  
TG: alright alright  
TG: calm down  
TG: everythings going to be fine  
TG: youre going to meet up with your friends and find out that everyone else is ok and its going to be great  
CG: YOU REALLY THINK SO?   
TG: yes  
TG: you just have to stay strong now and find them  
TG: do you think you can do that for me  
CG: YES.  
CG: I'M THEIR LEADER.  
CG: I CAN'T JUST SIT AROUND CRYING LIKE THIS  
TG: attaboy  
TG: now go like  
TG: kill that clown or whatever  
CG: HA. I WISH.  
CG: THANK YOU, DAVE.  
TG: any time bro  
  
\-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling turntechGodhead [TG] \--  


You put your palmhusk back into your pocket, stand up, and lay sollux over your shoulders. You have some friends to find.  
Hopefully alive.


	5. Five

**= > Be Equius Zahhak**

You are now Equius Zahhak.

You and your friends (plus your neighbor) are currently searching for KARKAT VANTAS, someone who has always sparked your... interest.  
Your interest in Karkat sparked from his tendency to avoid his blood color, something you suspect he does in shame. You are convinced that he feels like that because he has some kind of mutated blood. You know that Terezi found out what his blood color was at one point. Maybe you'll ask her about it later.

For now, though, you bring your mind back to the task at hand. You were the one to leave him to go find Gamzee, so you feel like you have at least a bit of a responsibility to find him. 

TEREZI: K4RK4T!  
VRISKA: Karkat!!!!!!!!  
EQUIUS: D - > Karkat  
KANAYA: Karkat Can You Hear Us  
ERIDAN: buddy cmon  
VRISKA: If you don't come out RIGHT NOW we're not going to 8e too happy.  
VRISKA: 8ut we're not going to hurt you!!!!!!!!  
VRISKA: If you come out now we'll make sure that nothing else happens.  
KANAYA: Don't Listen To That First Part We Just Want You To Be Safe More Than Anything  
KANAYA: Your Safety Is Prioritized To Us More Than Anything Right Now We Aren't Going To Become Irate From You Not Listening To Vriska  
ERIDAN: and wwe all knoww that vvriska is a hoe anyway  
VRISKA: Can it, Ampora.  
ERIDAN: sorry but lovve me or hate me im spittin straight facts  
TEREZI: 4S MUCH 4S 1 LOV3 TO H34R YOU TWO 4RGU3 1 TH1NK W3 SHOULD FOCUS ON F1ND1NG K4RK4T  
EQUIUS: D - > I too think that focusing is a good idea  
EQUIUS: D - > I would also like to suggest the idea of splitting up to avoid further conflict  
TEREZI: TH4T'S 4 GR34T 1D34 3QU1US  
TEREZI: HOW 4BOUT 1 GO W1TH 3R1D4N, YOU GO W1TH VR1SK4, 4ND K4N4Y4 GO3S ON H3R OWN, 1F YOU'R3 4LR1GHT W1TH TH4T, K4N4Y4??  
KANAYA: I Am More Than Capable Of Keeping Myself Safe Yes  
KANAYA: I Suspect If I Were To Come With Someone I Would Mostly Be Used As A Flashlight Anyway So It's Probably Better For Me To Go Off On My Own  
TEREZI: TH3N, 1S 3V3RYON3 3LS3 OK4Y W1TH TH31R P41R1NGS??  
VRISKA: Hell no!!!!!!!!  
VRISKA: I don't want to go with him! Living next to him was hard enough. He stinks and I don't want to have to listen to him drabble on a8out how sad he is.  
TEREZI: J3GUS FUCK1NG CHR1ST VR1SK4. 1 KNOW 1T'S H4RD FOR YOU TO F33L TH1NGS BUT 4T L34ST H4V3 4 L1TTL3 B1T OF H34RT.  
VRISKA: 8ut if I did that, I'd miss out on your scoldings. Nowhere is there a punishment worse than that.   
VRISKA: :::;)  
TEREZI: D1D YOU JUST W1NK 4T M3  
VRISKA: Duh.  
TEREZI: W3LL DON'T L3T M3 C4TCH YOU 4G41N  
VRISKA: Or what?  
EQUIUS: D - > I think we are deviating from the original topic  
EQUIUS: D - > I would like it if we could go back  
VRISKA: Right, right. I got distracted. That's my 8ad.  
EQUIUS: D - > Terezi, I think Vriska has a point  
EQUIUS: D - > I wouldn't want to walk with me either  
TEREZI: 1 TH1NK TH4T'S 4 BUNCH OF BULLSH1T  
TEREZI: 1 H4D 4 GR34T T1M3 W1TH YOU WH1L3 W3 W3R3 W4LK1NG H3R3  
TEREZI: THOUGH 1T WOULD H4V3 B33N B3TT3R 1F 1T W3R3N'T FOR. YOU KNOW  
EQUIUS: D - > The massive hole that Nepeta has left in our lives  
TEREZI: W3LL, Y3S. TH4T  
TEREZI: BUT MY PO1NT 1S  
TEREZI: YOU'R3 GO1NG W1TH H1M WH3TH3R YOU L1K3 1T OR NOT  
VRISKA: Fine.  
VRISKA: 8ut only 8ecause you're asking me.  
TEREZI: NOW W1TH TH4T SORT3D OUT  
TEREZI: 3R1D4N, YOU'R3 COM1NG W1TH ME >:D  
ERIDAN: thats fine i aint got a problem wwith that  


You all split ways. You are not looking forward to spending any quality time with Vriska, but you guess you're just going to have to suffer so that you can hopefully find Karkat.  
As the two of you stroll through the long and winding corridors of this labyrinth of a meteor, you try to think of something to say. You can feel the cold judgment radiating off of Vriska's heart. As much as a fan of silence as you are, you could really use some conversation right now. But nothing is coming to your mind, so you just stay silent, wishing for something to come out of Vriska's lips. Which, for some reason, look slightly teal-tinted?  
So you wait.  
And you wait.  
And wait.  
And wait.  
Until... 

VRISKA: So.  
VRISKA: Suuuuuuuurely there's a better way for us to look for him other than walking around aimlessly.  
VRISKA: Have we actually tried, you know...  
VRISKA: Looking in places that he might 8e?????????  
VRISKA: How a8out the ecto8iology lab? That had a lot of tall tu8es and places to hide 8ehind.  
EQUIUS: D - > That is where Terezi and I came from when we met you and Eridan  
EQUIUS: D - > But I suppose there is no harm in going back to 100k again  
EQUIUS: D - > We are more likely to find him there than we are to find him if we keep wandering around like we are now  
VRISKA: Yeah, there we go!  
VRISKA: You know, sometimes I forget how smart you can 8e, Equius.  
VRISKA: I forget that, under all that muscle, and under those layers, and I mean LAYERS, of sweat, there is actually a 8rain somewhere in there.  
EQUIUS: D - > I wasn't aware you wore a double-edged sword  
EQUIUS: D - > I was under the impression that you preferred dice  
VRISKA: Well damn.  
VRISKA: I don't even have a come8ack for that.  
VRISKA: You just killed me. Congratualtions. Your prize is my admir8ion.  
VRISKA: And the admir8ion of our friends, I'm sure.  
EQUIUS: D - > What are you suggesting  
VRISKA: You know damn well what I'm suggesting.  
VRISKA: I wouldn't even call it suggesting 8ecause of how o8vious the thing I'm talking about is.  
VRISKA: What I'm saying is that all of our friends h8 me.  
VRISKA: Not without reason, of course.  
VRISKA: 8ut that does not negate the fact.  


This leaves you speechless. Mostly because you don't have an argument against that.  
You try to come up with some kind of argument that isn't a straight lie, but you just... can't. Sweeps of living with Vriska has let you find out that she is, in most ways, irredeemable. 

VRISKA: 8efore you try to come up with some 8ullshit excuse for why I'm "wrong", allow me to say.  
VRISKA: Don't.  
VRISKA: I'm not looking for your, or anyone else's, approval.  
VRISKA: I'm confident that I'm doing what's right, and that's all I need.  
VRISKA: I don't C8RE if no one else does.  


Wow. You have to admit, the way she says that kind of makes it sound like she does care about what others think, but is too scared to admit that.  
You don't say anything, though.  
So the two of you just keep walking in silence.  


That is, until you reach the ectobiology lab.  
And find no one there.

VRISKA: UGH.  
VRISKA: This is such 8ULLSH8T.  
VRISKA: Where the F8CK is this little shit?!?!?!?!  
EQUIUS: D - > Somewhere other than here is my assumption  
VRISKA: Wow, gee. TH8NKS, EQUIUS. I couldn't fucking S88 TH8T.  
VRISKA: Ughhhhhhhh.  
VRISKA: I think I need to lay down for a 8it.  


With that, she collapses onto the ground.  
You check to see if she's unconscious or just lying down, and find out that she is very unconscious. You assume that she hasn't slept in a while, and that she's also very stressed.  
You suppose you'll just wait here, with her, until someone comes by.  


Which, luckily, wasn't too long.  


KARKAT: HEY, GUYS??  
KARKAT: WHERE THE FUCK IS EVERYONE.  
KARKAT: JESUS FUCKING FUCK JUST COME OUT ALREADY.  
EQUIUS: D - > Karkat, that is you, correct  
KARKAT: HOLY FUCK, EQUIUS???  
EQUIUS: D - > I knew such an obtrusive voice could not belong to anyone else  
EQUIUS: D - > Vriska, please wake up  
EQUIUS: D - > Karkat is here  
KARKAT: SHIT, VRISKA IS HERE TOO? IS SHE ALRIGHT??  
EQUIUS: D - > Yes, she is fine  
EQUIUS: D - > She has just overexerted herself  
EQUIUS: D - > I think your return is far more important  
EQUIUS: D - > We must go find the others immediantly  
EQUIUS: D - > I do not know where they are, so if you would like to lead the search, I wouldn't have any complaints  
KARKAT: WAIT OTHERS???  
KARKAT: WHO'S STILL WITH US????  
KARKAT: PLEASE TELL ME THAT TEREZI'S OKAY  
EQUIUS: D - > Terezi is fine  
EQUIUS: D - > As are Kanaya and Eridan  
EQUIUS: D - > Gamzee is also still alive but not by choice  
KARKAT: WAIT ERIDAN'S FINE???  
KARKAT: AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOT BY YOUR CHOICE  
EQUIUS: D - > Oh you haven't heard  
KARKAT: HEARD WHAT?????  
KARKAT: EQUIUS TELL ME  
KARKAT: EQUIUS WHAT HAVEN'T I HEARD  
EQUIUS: D - > I'll... tell you later  
EQUIUS: D - > Once we have met up with the others  
KARKAT: UGH, FINE, LET'S JUST GO FIND THEM THEN.  
KARKAT: I KNOW YOU'RE CARRYING VRISKA BUT WOULD YOU MIND CARRYING SOLLUX TOO  
KARKAT: I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU ASK ME TO ORDER YOU TO DO IT I'LL...  
EQUIUS: D - > I will refrain from asking you to do that at the moment  
KARKAT: THANK YOU.  
EQUIUS: D - > What happened to Sollux  
EQUIUS: D - > If you don't mind me asking  
KARKAT: HE DECIDED TO TRY TO DUEL WITH ERIDAN  
KARKAT: HE MISJUDGED ERIDAN'S HOPE BULLSHIT.  
KARKAT: I'M PRETTY SURE HE ISN'T DEAD AT LEAST  
KARKAT: THOUGH I THINK HE MIGHT HAVE SOME TROUBLE WITH HIS SIGHT. AND PROBABLY HIS PSIIONIICS AS WELL.  
EQUIUS: D - > He does seem to be missing some important body parts  
EQUIUS: D - > ...  
KARKAT: ...  
EQUIUS: D - > Could I ask you another question  
KARKAT: GO AHEAD, IT'S NOT LIKE I'VE GOT ANYTHING ELSE TO FUCKING DO.  
EQUIUS: D - > What is your blood color  
KARKAT: FUCKING NOOKSACKS, I THOUGHT I'D FINISHED AVOIDING THAT QUESTION.  
KARKAT: WHY THE FUCK DO YOU EVEN WANT TO KNOW??  
EQUIUS: D - > Recent events have made me reconsider my prances on the hemospectrum  
KARKAT: PRANCES?  
EQUIUS: D - > Stances  
KARKAT: OH WELL, THAT'S FUCKING GREAT  
KARKAT: BUT I'M STILL NOT GOING TO TELL YOU.  
EQUIUS: D - > Why not  
KARKAT: BECAUSE  
KARKAT: BECAUSE I'M ASHAMED OF IT OKAY  
KARKAT: IS THAT ENOUGH FOR YOU? IS THAT ENOUGH TO FUEL YOUR LITTLE FUCKING FANTASIES  
EQUIUS: D - > My what  
KARKAT: YOU KNOW, FANTASIES. ABOUT LIKE,  
KARKAT: ACTUALLY FUCK THAT  
KARKAT: IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.  
EQUIUS: D - > But I do not know  
KARKAT: UGGHHH  
KARKAT: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING SHARP ON YOU  
EQUIUS: D - > Both my horns and teeth are very sharp and also broken  
KARKAT: THE FORMER WILL WORK, PROBABLY.  
KARKAT: JUST STAND STILL AND  
EQUIUS: D - > Did you just use my horns to put a cut in your arm  
KARKAT: JUST SHUT UP AND LOOK.  


He shows you his arm, and are taken back by the color that extrudes from it.  
From the wound in his arm comes a shade of red that is more impure than any shade you've seen before. Candy red, the kind you've only seen on uniforms before.

EQUIUS: D - > I can see why you were scared to share with us your blood color  
EQUIUS: D - > But there was nothing to fear  
EQUIUS: D - > I will make sure that everyone %epts you  
KARKAT: YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT EQUIUS.  
KARKAT: I'LL MANAGE JUST FINE ON MY OWN.  
KARKAT: OH AND, PLEASE DON'T TELL THE OTHERS.  
EQUIUS: D - > Of course  
honk  
KARKAT: WAIT  
KARKAT: DID YOU HEAR THAT  
EQUIUS: D - > Hear what  
KARKAT: THAT SOUNDED LIKE  
KARKAT: OH GOD  
KARKAT: DID YOU TURN YOUR BACKS ON THE FUCKING BODY  
EQUIUS: D - > Do you mean Gamzee's body  
KARKAT: YES WHICH OTHER BODY WOULD I BE TALKING ABOUT??  
EQUIUS: D - > Then yes, I suppose we did  
KARKAT: AHAHAHAHAHA  
KARKAT: THAT'S FUCKING *FANTASTIC*  
KARKAT: BECAUSE I JUST FUCKING HEARD HIM AGAIN  
EQUIUS: D - > Impossible  
EQUIUS: D - > I had him completely restrained  
EQUIUS: D - > There's no chance that he could have escaped  
KARKAT: WELL CLEARLY HE FUCKING DID  
KARKAT: THERE'S NO WAY I IMAGINED THAT  
KARKAT: I'M SURE THAT HE'S HERE  
KARKAT: GAMZEE COME OUT  
KARKAT: WE,   
KARKAT: OR AT LEAST, I  
KARKAT: KNOW YOU'RE HERE.  
KARKAT: SO JUST COME OUT!!  
GAMZEE: yall hear something.  
GAMZEE: CAUSE ALL I HEAR ARE A PAIR OF MOTHERFUCKERS.  
GAMZEE: spurting out a mess of word noise.  
EQUIUS: D - > You were right, Karkat  
EQUIUS: D - > Please stay behind me  
EQUIUS: D - > I've already dealt with him once  
KARKAT: YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO AFTER THIS, EQUIUS.  
GAMZEE: HOW ABOUT ONE OF YOU MOTHERFUCKERS DO THE EXPLAINING TO ME.  
GAMZEE: about why my motherfucking head hurts like a motherfucker.  
EQUIUS: D - > Let us settle this, here, highb100d  
EQUIUS: D - > Karkat doesn't have to be involved in this  
GAMZEE: WHY THE MOTHERFUCKIN NOT, BROTHER?  
GAMZEE: why should my best bro miss out on all the fun thats about to be motherfuckin had in this bitch.  
GAMZEE: HONK :o)  


As rage fills you again, similarly to how it did the last time you saw him, your patience grows thin. You decide, in a fit of whitehot anger, that you are done waiting for him.  
You run up to him as fast as you can, and slam one of your fists into his head. He tries to block it with his hand, but the sheer force of your punch means that this effectively does nothing. You send him flying. You run to him again, and pick him up by the neck, before tossing him into the air like a ragdoll and, as he's falling back down, slamming him into the ground.

KARKAT: DON'T KILL HIM, EQUIUS.  


You hear Karkat, but the thought of killing him didn't even cross your mind. You were just acting purely on impulse.  
Hearing his voice calms you down, however. You are still incredibly angry, but you're at least capable of conscious thought now.  


EQUIUS: D - > How do I trap him again  
KARKAT: I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE JUST TRY CHOKING HIM OUT FOR NOW??  


You do just that. You let Gamzee's lip body fall to the ground as his eyes fall shut.

EQUIUS: D - > Now what  
KARKAT: THAT TRULY IS A QUESTION YOU HAVE THERE.  
KARKAT: TRUTH BE TOLD... I DON'T KNOW.  
KARKAT: I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE HIM BACK TO THE OTHERS AND SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY IDEAS.  
EQUIUS: D - > I like that idea  
EQUIUS: I'll carry him  
KARKAT: IF YOU SAY SO.  
KARKAT: OH AND UH.. EQUIUS?  
EQUIUS: D - > Yes  
KARKAT: THANK YOU.   
KARKAT: FOR PROTECTING ME  
KARKAT: AND STUFF.  
KARKAT: IT UH... TOTALLY WASN'T NEEDED, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.  
EQUIUS: D - > I'm a man of my word, Karkat  



	6. Six

**= > Be Terezi Pyrope**

You are now TEREZI PYROPE. You and one of your... friends, you guess, have currently split away from your other friends, and are looking for another friend, who is a mutual friend of everyone involved. It's kind of confusing if you think about it too hard so you don't. You just... don't think.

You're going to be honest, as you try to be constantly, apart from when you're lying, you don't like Eridan that much. As surprising as it may be, you're not too affectionate towards murderers. However, you do believe that he is trying his best to change. Even if he's... a douchebag, you think that maybe it isn't entirely his fault that he's grown up to be this way. Sure, he's definitely over-dramatizing it, but you'll never be caught saying that the way Alternia treats its youth is a good environment for anyone to grow up in.

Not that you sympathize with him or anything. Fuck fishdwellers or whatever.

In other news, Eridan has looked on the edge of tears for ages. He doesn't look at all like someone who tried, and succeeded on one account at least, to kill some of your friends. He looks more like someone who would be on the receiving end of something like murder, actually. God dammit. Are you actually feeling bad for Eridan? Surely this must be some kind of fever dream.

To try to stop yourself from thinking about Eridan, you direct your thoughts towards a different douchebag. Namely, Karkat. You think its ridiculous how many times you've thought to yourself, "Surely he'll turn up soon!" without that actually happening. Now you're getting sad again. Fucking great. You better think about something else before you get super depressed. You search around the inside of your brain for anything and you land on...

Nepeta.

If someone were to ask you, in a hypothetical situation, if you blamed yourself for her death, you would, hypothetically, say yes. You don't completely blame yourself for it. But yes. You blame yourself partially for it. It's your fault that she couldn't roleplay with you, despite her obvious want for that to happen. You feel horrible about how bad of a friend you were. You can't even apologize anymore. There's nothing you can do to make her, or yourself, feel better, except wallow. Except breakdown. Except, ha, you can't just do that. If you do that, you'll break the facade. The facade that you're able to apparently manage everything ever, constantly.

You can't deal with this.

TEREZI: SO... N3P3T4 HUH?  
ERIDAN: wwell that sure is a fuckin convversation starter allright  
ERIDAN: you coulda said hey or some shit before bringing that up but nope wwere just gonna divve right into that circle of bullshit  
TEREZI: Y3P.  
ERIDAN: wwhy  
TEREZI: WOULD YOU L1K3 M3 TO ANSW3R HON3STLY.  
ERIDAN: sure go ahead  
TEREZI: 1 TH1NK W3 SHOULD S1T DOWN.  
ERIDAN: sure wwhatevver  
TEREZI: 4S 1'V3 H4D L3SS 4ND L3SS TO TH1NK 4BOUT, 1'V3 B33N...  
TEREZI: 4S SOM3 WOULD S4Y...  
TEREZI: BL4M1NG MYS3LF.  
ERIDAN: me too ter me too  
ERIDAN: not only havve i been blamin myself for this but ivve been realizin how much other bullshit is also my fault  
ERIDAN: ivve been spiralling down this loop of not knowwing wwho i am vversus who i wwant to be  
ERIDAN: i dont wwant to be me anymore  
ERIDAN: i dont wwant to be the bad guy anymore  


You look at him. You have to be honest, you're impressed by his attitude. Who knew it only took close friends dying to get you to finally become a better person. 

ERIDAN: i didnt really talk to nep as much as i wwish i did but i think she really liked you  
ERIDAN: i dont think shed want you to get all fuckin caught up like this  
ERIDAN: at least you knoww she at least liked you  
ERIDAN: shes gone noww and im never gonna know wwhether she liked or hated me  
TEREZI: 1 COULD'V3 S4V3D H3R.  
ERIDAN: wwhat  
TEREZI: 1 COULD'V3 S4V3D H3R. PR3V3NT3D H3R D34TH. STOPP3D H3R UNT1M3LY P4SS1NG.  
TEREZI: 1S TH4T 3NOUGH 1NFORM4T1ON FOR YOU ERIDAN?  
TEREZI: OR WOULD YOU L1K3 M3 TO CONT1NU3 W1TH TH3S3 EXPL4N4T1ONS?  
ERIDAN: i get it i get it fuck  
ERIDAN: wwanna knoww wwho really couldvve savved her  
ERIDAN: eq  
ERIDAN: you knoww  
ERIDAN: her moirail  
ERIDAN: theres nothin you need to fuckin wworry about ok  
TEREZI: WOW HOLY SH1T.  
TEREZI: 1 D1DN'T KNOW YOU W3R3 C4P4BL3 OF, WH4T'S 1T C4LL3D 4G41N >:?  
TEREZI: OH R1GHT.  
TEREZI: 1 D1DN'T KNOW YOU W3R3 C4P4BL3 OF 3MP4THY.  
ERIDAN: fuck you shut up  
TEREZI: H3H3... 1'M S3R1OUS, THOUGH.  
TEREZI: M4YB3 TH1NGS COULD'V3 TURN3D OUT D1FF3R3NTLY 1F YOU'D STOPP3D B31NG SUCH 4 PR1CK 4ND W3R3 JUST HON3ST 4BOUT HOW YOU F33L.  
ERIDAN: a wwhole lot wwoulda been changed if any of us couldvve been more honest  
ERIDAN: i knoww i at least wwouldnt havve grubsauce on my fuckin hands  
ERIDAN: i think my relationship wwith fef shouldvve ended sooner  
TEREZI: WH4T M4K3S YOU S4Y TH4T?? YOU TWO LOOK3D V3RY H4PPY P4L3 TOG3TH3R.  
ERIDAN: there wwas an ovverwwelmin onesidedness to the wwhole fuckin relationship that my stupid thinkpan nevver fuckin noticed because im a fuckin idiot  
ERIDAN: she CLEARLY only stayed in the quadrant because she had to and i wwish id seen that sooner  
ERIDAN: as a prince of hope im not feelin vvery princely about shit  
ERIDAN: i wwas so attached to her that wwhen she let me go i got super fuckin desperate and crept evveryone out  
ERIDAN: wwelcome to my life  
ERIDAN: my name is wwho cares and im not allowwed to havve problems i guess  
TEREZI: 1 TH1NK 3V3RYON3, W1THOUT 3XC3PT1ON, H4S B33N ROY4LLY FUCK3D BY TH4T PL4N3T.  
TEREZI: SOM3 MOR3 L1T3R4LLY TH4N OTH3RS 1T S33MS.  
TEREZI: 3V3N TH3 H1GHBLOODS WHO LOOK L1K3 TH3Y H4V3 TH31R SH1T TOG3TH3R.  
TEREZI: FUCK, 3V3N TH3 LOWBLOODS WHO H4V3 TH31R SH1T TOG3TH3R.  
TEREZI: NO ON3 3XC3PT H3R 1MP3R14L COND3SC3NS1ON H3RS3LF 1S IMMUN3 TO H3R BULLSH1T 4ND 4LL W3 C4N R34LLY DO 1S T4LK 4ND L4M3NT.  
TEREZI: W3'R3 NOTH1NG W1THOUT TH3 TROLLS 4ROUND US 4ND 1'M SORRY FOR M4K1NG 4SSUMPT1ONS 4BOUT YOU.  
TEREZI: THOUGH 1 ST1LL H4V3N'T FORG1V3N YOU YET >:/  
ERIDAN: honestly fair i havvent forgivven myself either  
TEREZI: 4LR1GHT.  
TEREZI: 3NOUGH W1TH TH1S MOP1NG 4BOUT.  
ERIDAN: wwh  
TEREZI: YOU'V3 GR13V3D 4ND 4POLOG1Z3D.  
TEREZI: TH3 N3XT ST3P 1S GROW1NG FROM TH1S 4ND MOV1NG ON.  
TEREZI: DON'T 4POLOG1Z3 4ND S4Y YOU R3GR3T WH4T YOU D1D BUT TH3N GO B4CK TO B31NG SH1TTY.  
TEREZI: TH1S 1S YOUR CH4NC3 FOR 4 R3D3MPT1ON.  
TEREZI: WHO KNOWS WH4T COULD'V3 H4PP3N3D.  
TEREZI: YOU COULD H4V3 D13D.  
TEREZI: HOW WOULD YOU R3D33M YOURS3LF TH3N????  
ERIDAN: but wwhat if i fuck up again  
TEREZI: JUST DON'T.  
TEREZI: NO ON3 BUT YOU 1S 1N CONTROL OF HOW YOU 4CT 4ROUND OTH3R P3OPL3.  
TEREZI: NO ON3'S P3RF3CT.  
TEREZI: JUST L1ST3N TO P3OPL3, OK4Y?  
ERIDAN: ill try my fuckin best i guess  
ERIDAN: i dont wwant people to keep hatin me like they do  
ERIDAN: i keep my emotions wwelled up and then i die  
ERIDAN: thank you ter  
TEREZI: NOW.  
TEREZI: W3 H4V3N'T R34LLY LOOK3D FOR K4RK4T H4V3 W3.  
ERIDAN: oh fuck i forgot about him  


You pick yourself up off your feet, and put your hand out for Eridan to grab onto. He looks you in the eyes, and looks speechless for a solid second. You find this weird because you don't see this as anything special, but whatever. The two of you turn back the way you came, and start running. You've always been quite a good runner. You're not what they call the most slim person, but what you lose in weight you gain in height. Your long legs have always helped you maintain a good speed, even if you can't maintain that speed for long. Keeping this in mind, you run at a speed which will hopefully let you get back to where the two of you started without you having to collapse onto the floor. You also can't go too fast because Eridan is... the opposite of a good runner. His legs keep getting caught up in his cape, somehow? You have no idea how he manages to do that.

After running through the corridor, which stretches farther than you remember, the two of you reach the place that you and Equius had discovered Vriska and Eridan arguing, without any of the trolls present at the scene of the crime. However, you can hear the voice of a certain loud crab-like creature nearby.

KARKAT: GLOBE BULGING FUCK, I THINK I NEED TO PUT HIM DOWN  
KARKAT: WHAT? LET YOU CARRY HIM? DON'T BE FUCKING RIDICULOUS.  
TEREZI: K4RK4T??  
KARAKT: WAIT, EQUIUS  
KARKAT: DID YOU HEAR THAT? IT SOUNDED LIKE TEREZI.  
TEREZI: K4RK4T!!!!  
KARKAT: OH MY GOD IT IS YOU  
KARKAT: I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU. I'M GLAD YOU'RE SAFE.  
TEREZI: GOG D4MN, DON'T 3MPTY YOUR 4NGU1SH BL4DD3R OV3R L1TTL3 OLD M3.  
TEREZI: 1'M OK4Y 4ND NO ON3 3LS3 H4S D13D.  
TEREZI: 4S F4R 4S 1'M CONC3RN3D, 3V3RYTH1NG'S F1N3.  
KARKAT: THE ASSUMPTION THAT I WOULD WORRY ABOUT YOU WITHOUT ANY REAL REASON TO IS COMPLETELY FALSE AND IS HONESTLY QUITE INSULTING.  
KARKAT: JUST BECAUSE I'M RELIEVED THAT YOU'RE OKAY OR WHATEVER DOESN'T MEAN I'M ACTUALLY EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN YOUR MORTALITY  
KARKAT: I'M JUST A FUCKING KICKASS LEADER WHO RECOGNIZES THAT AT LEAST SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE SAD IF YOU WERE TO, SAY, DIE.  
TEREZI:   
KARKAT: BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING, NO I'M *NOT* TRYING TO DEFLECT YOUR COMMENTS ON ME BEING WORRIED ABOUT YOU BY MAKING UP FALSE STATEMENTS.  
TEREZI: 1 W4SN'T GO1NG TO S4Y TH4T.  
KARKAT: OH  
KARKAT: WELL IT *WAS* QUITE POSSIBLE THAT YOU WOULD SO FUCK YOU.  
TEREZI: FUCK YOU TOO <3<  
KARKAT: TAKE BACK THAT PITCH HEART.  
TEREZI: WH4T P1TCH H34RT?  
TEREZI: FR4NKLY, 1 H4V3 NO 1D34 WH4T YOU'R3 T4LK1NG 4BOUT 4ND 1 TH1NK TH4T'S PR3TTY M34N OF YOU TO 4SSUME 3V3N FOR YOU.  
KARKAT: YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.  
TEREZI: 1 R34LLY DON'T, K4RK4T.  
KARKAT: GODDAMN I MISSED YOU.  
TEREZI: H4H4 WH4T??  
KARKAT: NOTHING.  
KARKAT: I HATE YOU AND THAT'S REALLY ALL THERE IS TO SAY ON THE MATTER.  
TEREZI: OH MY GOG K4RK4T 4R3 YOU FL1RT1NG W1TH M3???????????????  
TEREZI: 1'M FL4TT3R3D >;]  
KARKAT: WHAT, NO???? YOU KNOW I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE T-  
EQUIUS: D - > Is there anything else that we could possibly talk about  
EQUIUS: D - > Anything else, please  
KARKAT: OH, RIGHT, EQUIUS, YOU'RE HERE. FUCK. I DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT THAT. SHUT UP.  
KARKAT: |8B  
TEREZI: 4R3 TH3Y OK4Y??  
KARKAT: WHO, SOLLUX, VRISKA AND GAMZEE?  
KARKAT: SOLLUX AND VRISKA ARE JUST UNCONCIOUS AND WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT GAMZEE.  
TEREZI: 1 F33L K1ND4 B4D FOR H1M, YOU KNOW?  
TEREZI: NOT TH4T B4D, H3'S ST1LL SCUMMY.  
TEREZI: BUT 1 F33L B4D FOR H1M ST1LL.  
ERIDAN: wwell i wwould suggest not to  
ERIDAN: the amount of pollution his kind has put into the oceans alone is immeasureable  
TEREZI: HUH.  
TEREZI: 1'V3 N3V3R THOUGHT OF TH4T BUT 1T F33LS K1ND4 OBV1OUS WH3N YOU TH1NK 4BOUT 1T.  
ERIDAN: yeah you get accustomed to it after bein surrounded by clowwnblood filth for swweeps  
TEREZI: HUH.  
TEREZI: 4NYW4Y WH4T 4R3 W3 GO1NG TO DO N3XT..  
KARKAT: WAKING UP SOLLUX SEEMS LIKE THE RIGHT FUCKING THING TO DO.  
KARKAT: AND VRISKA TOO I GUESS  
KARKAT: THEY'LL PROBABLY BE HELPFUL IN FINDING KANAYA.  
TEREZI: TH4T'S 34S13R S41D TH4N DON3 THOUGH.  
TEREZI: M4YB3 1F YOU SHOUT W1TH 4LL YOUR BR34TH MUSCL3S YOU'LL B3 4BL3 TO DR1LL 1NTO TH31R UNCONC1OUS 4ND W4K3 TH3M UP.  
KARKAT: WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY??????  
KARKAT: ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY I'M LOUD??? ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY MY VOICE IS LIKE SOMEONE SLAMMING THEIR MEATPOUNDERS AGAINST YOUR THINKPAN??????????? THAT MY VOICE HAS MAGICAL FUCKING POWERS TO AWAKEN ANYONE FROM EVEN THE DEEPEST FUCKING SLUMBER???  
TEREZI: Y3S.  
KARKAT: ):B **  
** TEREZI: TH4T'S 4 CUT3 LOOK ON YOU, W1TH YOUR H34D 1N YOUR SW34T3R, 4LL CURL3D UP L1K3 4 GRUB B3FOR3 B31NG RUTHL3SSLY CULL3D.  
KARKAT: WHAT? NO IT'S NOT  
KARKAT: 1T EXHIBITS THE GREAT AMOUNT OF CONCENTRATION I'M PUSHING OUT OF MY THINKPAN TO NOT PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE FOR CALLING ME CUTE  
KARKAT: SOME WOULD SAY THE FACE OF A GODDAMMN FUCKING LEADER.  
KARKAT: QUITE THE OPPOSITE OF """CUTE""", SOME WOULD SAY.  
TEREZI: WH4T 4 CO1NC1D3NC3 TH4T MY N4M3 1SN'T SOM3, TH3N.  
KARKAT: WHAT?  
ERIDAN: i thought wwe already decided that wwe wwould leavve the theatrics for later come on and help me wwake sol  
TEREZI: F1N3 F1N3.  
TEREZI: K4RK4T, YOU H3LP 3QU1US W1TH VR1SK4.  
KARKAT: SURE, WHATEVER.  


****

You pull out your trusted dragon-headed cane, and use it to seemingly scan Sollux's body. You're looking for his head. You bring it up past his feet, shins, knees, all the way up to the chest. You know you're near. You take your cane just a little bit more just for the added confirmation of the placement of his face. Upon finding it, you push Eridan out of the way, and sit yourself next to him. You raise your hand as high as you can, and bring it down as fast as you're physically capable, resulting in a rather loud clapping sound. Your cackle would clear a church, if those still existed.

ERIDAN: ter wwhat the fish flying fuck  
SOLLUX: y0u pe0ple never d0 learn t0 shut the fuck up d0 y0u.  
SOLLUX: but that's fine i guess.  
SOLLUX: you're all as l0ud as usual but the v0ices in my head are basically damn silent s0 i guess i can deal with you all f0r n0w.  
ERIDAN: sollux  
SOLLUX: what is it n0w, eridan?  
ERIDAN: im sorry  
ERIDAN: im so sorry sol i wwasnt thinkin im so glad youre ok  
SOLLUX: what the hell? wh0's this imp0ster. are y0u guys playing a trick 0n me.  
SOLLUX: terezi was this y0u.  
TEREZI: 1 WOULD N3V3R.  
SOLLUX: well s0me0ne's 0bvi0usly d0ne s0mething.  
ERIDAN: im serious sol  
ERIDAN: im sorry  
TEREZI: H3'S TRY1NG TO R3D33M H1MS3LF.  
SOLLUX: uh huh.  
SOLLUX: right.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY!! i've been meaning to put this little thing in here for a while but i keep forgetting... oops.
> 
> anyway, if you liked this, and you'd like to hear about more things i've made [and also hear my dumbass takes] you can follow me twitter account [here!!](https://twitter.com/hamifihekrix)


End file.
